Terence Higgs
by bluemeanies
Summary: You ever wonder how the old seeker responded to the amazing broomstick bribe of second year? Well, here is a story for you.


Terrence Higgs  
  
A/N- You ever feel that you will never get your chaptered fictions done; well this is one of those times. However, I am perfectly fine with entertaining you with more short stories, which for some reason keep begging to be written. This was inspired by the fact that the Gryffindors obviously didn't think Slytherin would have a new seeker in second year, and a look at the dirty dealing that brought this about.  
  
Disclaimer: Unlike my Slytherin role models, I have always been a law- abiding citizen (unless you count jay-walking, tax-evasion and murder as crimes, jk). Therefore, to remain a law-abiding citizen I would request that you don't send me money, because all copyright and monetary rights to HP characters and locations belong to JKR and associates.  
  
  
  
  
  
It was going to be his last, and best year at Hogwarts, but Marcus Flint couldn't help but run over his emotions with a steamroller, now could he. It had taken Terrence a while to get used to Slytherin house, when he had unexpectedly been sorted into that house. Taunts and jeers about being half-blooded were normal, and Terrence had to muster all his resolve not to breakdown crying on a number of occasions. But he let it all roll off of him and resolved to prove to them that he really belong there, that he would do whatever it takes to fit in, to become a model Slytherin. And when his efforts contributed a large number of points towards winning the house cup, a lot of the less biased, less cocky Slytherin students were willing to over look his 'impurities' and be his friends. Even those most adamant about purity issues would leave him alone. And then, in his third year, he had earned the most coveted spot on the house Quidditch team, seeker. He wasn't spectacular, but as great seekers were few and far between and he did have some skill it was decided he was best for the job. And for the last four years he had always put them neck and neck with Ravenclaw for the Quidditch cup. In fact, they had won it twice, and he couldn't be blamed for the spectacular catch by the Ravenclaw seeker his third year or Potter's lucky 'wide mouthed tree-frog' catch last year. Quidditch was to him, the great equalizer, watching the snotty purebloods in Slytherin rely on him for their victory always gave him a thrill of power. And now Flint was going to take it away from him for…  
  
"Broomsticks!!!! Lucius Malfoy gives you broomsticks, and I get thrown out like yesterdays garbage because you are a selfish, arrogant little…"  
  
"Now, now Terrence. It was a very hard choice, but after that humiliating defeat against Gryffindor last year, you must have realized your position was rather precarious," Flint said, sneering at him.  
  
"Potter got lucky. I swear, I can beat him this year, but no, you have to give the position to an untried, untested blowhard just because his daddy has money." Terrence said.  
  
"Give it up Higgs. If you wanted loyalty you should have been a Hufflepuff. If you'll excuse me, I have some business I must attend to with Professor Snape." Flint said then walked out of the common room. Terrence stood there, staring in disbelief for a while, and then, embarrassed by all the staring eyes from his housemates, moved to sit in a dark corner.  
  
***  
  
There was a knock at his office door, disturbing Professor Snape from grading the second year Ravenclaw's papers. He especially hated grading Ravenclaw papers because it was hard to find something to mark off for. In fact, Mr. Boot's and Ms. Patil's papers had both been so error free he had to reluctantly give them full marks. "Come in," he yelled, half grateful, half annoyed at the disturbance.  
  
Marcus Flint walked in and cautiously took a seat across from him, and sat silently staring for a while until it started to get on Snape's nerves.  
  
"Out with it Flint," he spat.  
  
Flint was a little worried about Snape's reaction to what he was going to say. He didn't know what the Professor's reaction would be if he admitted to being bribed.  
  
"Professor, I was wondering if you could give the team permission to… um… use the Quidditch field tomorrow morning?"  
  
"Mr. Flint, you are well aware that you must book the field in advance with Madam Hooch." Snape scolded him, but Flint could tell from the glint in the Professor's eyes and the movement of his fingers on his folded hands that he wanted to be persuaded.  
  
"Yes sir, but there have been recent changes in the roster, and I would like to get started training our new players."  
  
"New Players?" Snape asked curiously.  
  
"Yes, Draco Malfoy has recently been named our new seeker." Flint said. Flint knew Snape liked Malfoy, but Snape also liked Terrence Higgs.  
  
"And what about Terrence?" Snape asked, raising his left eyebrow.  
  
"He was good, but Malfoy's better," Flint said, a little uncertainly.  
  
"Ah, so Marcus, tell me, exactly what model broomsticks did Lucius give you?" Snape said. Flint was taken by surprise and almost fell out of his seat. How did Snape know?  
  
"Nimbus 2002, sir. Seven of them," Flint replied. Snape let out a small sigh.  
  
"I am disappointed in you Marcus, I thought winning would mean more to you than a nice broomstick. Is it possible you could switch Mr. Malfoy to another position."  
  
"No, sir. Draco specifically asked for the seeker position so he could compete directly against Potter."  
  
"Too bad, too bad. So does anyone have the field booked for tomorrow morning?"  
  
"Yes, actually. Gryffindor." Marcus said. Snape smirked and then took out a piece of paper and started writing a permission slip.  
  
***  
  
When Marcus Flint returned to the common there were some people, mostly Higgs's friends, glaring at him, but it didn't matter because he knew that once they saw how fast the Nimbus 2002s were in their first match (against Gryffindor) everything would be ok.  
  
Terrence Higgs was still fuming about having lost his spot on the team, and contemplating exactly how he was going to kill Flint and Malfoy. He was so distracted that he didn't do his homework for that night, but it never got as far as actually hexing them. He knew that Flint could hardly refuse the Malfoys, one of the rich families that were half mockingly, half reverently referred to as the Slytherin royalty. He knew that life wasn't fair and if you were living in Slytherin House you had to be prepared to be stabbed in the back. But that didn't make it much easier. In the next few weeks, he worked to get over it, concentrating on his studies and solidifying plans for after graduation, while glaring at the team whenever it came in from Quidditch practice.  
  
In the days before the Quidditch match, he became even more upset. He should have been doing last minute preparations, but instead he was stuck in the common room, working on his astronomy charts. The day before the game, he did something that was rather rash. He hunted down Oliver Wood.  
  
"Oliver." He called out. Wood spun around, surprised to be addressed by on of the Slytherin's.  
  
"Yes?" He replied.  
  
"Beat the little ferret for me."  
  
"I'll try." Wood said with a smile.  
  
***  
  
Higgs felt like dancing. Malfoy had missed the Snitch when it was two feet in front of his face and Flint had given him a serious telling off. Too bad Flint was only now realizing that money doesn't buy talent. That night, in the common room, most of the lesser-privileged Slytherins gathered and spontaneously had a party. All the rich purists in the house had just suffered a huge embarrassment, and even though the house had lost, they saw this as something that definitely deserved celebrating. There was a large quantity of food and drink, plenty of laughing, singing and dancing, especially in response to the glares from Malfoy, who was sitting quietly in the corner with his two thugs, but the highlight of the night came when Flint tried to break up the party.  
  
"Won't you stop it!? We lost the friggin' game, and here you are carrying on!! Don't you have any loyalty?!?" Flint yelled, barely containing himself from jumping up and down or reaching out and punching someone.  
  
Higgs replied, "If you wanted loyalty, you should have been a Hufflepuff," and everyone in the crowd started laughing out loud, causing Flint to storm off to his dorm. Professor Snape, who had just come in to break up the party, changed his mind, and snuck back out of the dormitory unnoticed. 


End file.
